MIFTAH’s
Statement

Prevent
Palestinian Cultural Genocide
By MIFTAH

February 23, 2010

MIFTAH, the
Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy
strongly condemns the recent decision by the Israeli cabinet under Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to include two West Bank holy shrines on its list of
Israeli heritage sites. The Ibrahimi Mosque [in Hebron along with the Bilal Bin
Rabah Mosque [Rachel’s Tomb] in Bethlehem are both highly significant religious
and cultural spots for Palestinians and which are now being threatened with
confiscation.

MIFTAH views
this recent decision as an illegitimate Israeli attempt to distort and recreate
a false history where Palestinian culture and heritage is erased. MIFTAH feels
this move is extremely dangerous and constitutes a major step in Israel’s
ongoing attempt to commit cultural genocide in Palestine through its
obliteration of Palestinian culture and history.

MIFTAH thus
calls on the international community to halt this Israeli threat to forge
history and claim sole Jewish significance on sites located in Palestinian
territory. It is the duty of the United Nations, UNESCO and all other relevant
cultural bodies concerned with the preservation and integrity of cultural and
religious sites to hold Israel accountable for its attempt at confiscating this
culture and history from the Palestinians and preventing cultural genocide.

Article: http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=21763&CategoryId=2

Website: http://www.miftah.org